Chapter 5, Dongbi

Little Fatty then remembered to put down the copper basin he was holding, mumbling, "Where? Of course, it's my room. The bed you are lying on is mine. Master and Miss saved you at Thorny Ridge. Steward Liu and the others carried you down from the ridge and placed you in my room, which has forced me to squeeze into a large dormitory with the other workers for the past three days..." Of course, it's my room. The bed you are lying on is mine. Master and Miss saved you at Thorny Ridge. Steward Liu and the others carried you down from the ridge and placed you in my room, which has forced me to squeeze into a large dormitory with the other workers for the past three days...

The chubby boy stepped forward and touched Qin Lin's forehead, puzzled, and said: "You don't have a fever. Our Li Medical Hall is not in Qizhou City; where else could it be?"

Not long after, the door creaked open, and a chubby, fair-skinned boy walked in, carrying a copper basin with a towel draped over it

Not long after, Lu Yuanzhi brought Li Shizhen along. What pleased Qin Lin was that the beautiful and lovely Li Qingdai was also hiding behind her grandfather, her bright eyes sparkling with curiosity as she observed Qin Lin. Li Shizhen appeared very affectionate towards his granddaughter, and one could even say he was somewhat indulgent.

Qingdai covered her small mouth, while Lu Yuanzhi and a group of senior brothers stared in astonishment, not understanding why Li Shizhen had transformed into such a state

Unexpectedly, Li Qingdai, upon hearing her grandfather praise Qin Lin for his clever handling, felt somewhat unconvinced. Pouting, she said: "Grandfather, you are too modest. Last night, after drinking, you were not very happy and mentioned that it is extremely difficult to treat a bite from a Qishi snake. If it were not for your snake medicine, it would be hard to survive. Moreover, in recent years, you have treated over thirty cases of Qishi snake bites, and isn't the efficacy of this case the most perfect and flawless?"

The young man is being modest. My son has traveled to Bashu for official duties, leaving this granddaughter to enjoy my company. I pity her for being without her parents, and thus I may have indulged her a bit.

Li Shizhen smiled gently and lightly pressed Qin Lin back down, saying: "A physician's heart is like that of a parent. Young man, you were bitten by a snake the other day; how could we stand by and do nothing? Moreover, it is thanks to your own proper handling that you were able to recover. Cleaning the wound, extracting the venom, and binding the upper part of the injury to prevent the snake venom from spreading through the bloodstream to the heart are all excellent techniques. What I did was merely the final step of applying the medicine; such a trivial effort is truly not worth mentioning."

Ah, have I mentioned it?" Li Shizhen said with a smile as he patted his granddaughter's head

Previously, while passing through Qizhou, Qin Lin heard countless mentions of a Li Medical Hall in the city. It was said to be a place where the physician offered his services to save lives with remarkable skill and compassion. The common people praised the owner of the medical hall as Dr. Li, claiming that he could even bring the dead back to life. Furthermore, Dr. Li was known for his benevolence; for decades, whenever there was an outbreak of plague in the area, he would spare no effort in providing relief, earning the deep affection of the people.

After being bitten by a Qishe snake, Qin Lin managed to perform nearly perfect initial treatment on his own. This made it exceedingly easy for Li Shizhen to provide care, and the treatment was timely, making it a remarkably rare perfect case in medicine. Therefore, after examining Qin Lin's condition yesterday, he was very pleased, drank some homemade medicinal wine, and shared some proud words with his beloved granddaughter. Today, upon hearing that Qin Lin had awakened, he hurried over to check on him again

When a stranger mentioned her name, Li Qingdai immediately felt a bit embarrassed. She peeked out from behind her grandfather and stammered, "Y-you, how do you know my name? Oh... you were eavesdropping on my conversation with Grandpa, how annoying!" Her big eyes rolled playfully, and she added in a sweet voice, "No way, you know my name now, but I don't know yours. You have to tell me, that's only fair!"

Qin Lin still maintains his original statement: "I reside in Hanyang, my surname is Qin, my name is Lin, and my courtesy name is Muxin"

Qin Lin had just recovered from a serious illness, feeling weak and listless, and since no one had come to check on him, he couldn't help but lie in bed lost in thought: It seems that it was that ethereal old man and the delicate young girl named Qing Dai who saved me, but how did they bring me from the wilderness to this room? Although the old man appeared robust, he didn't seem capable of carrying a young man. Hehe, could it be that Qing Dai carried me down the mountain?

Before his time travel, Qin Lin was entirely focused on his work, and moreover, there were not many girls willing to date someone who dealt with corpses all day. As a result, despite being of considerable age, he had never had a proper romantic relationship. At this moment, thinking of the girl named Qing Dai, whose words were innocent and pure, and whose appearance was delightful and charming, he couldn't help but break into a mischievous smile, saliva flowing down uncontrollably

That sounds great! The char siu at Zhao Family Restaurant at the foot of Qilin Mountain is the most delicious, the dumplings at Wang Po's at the intersection have thin skins and plenty of filling, and the sesame pancakes from Bai Family Shop in the south city are a unique specialty of Qizhou

I truly apologize... Qin Lin scratched his head, observing the little chubby boy's attire and demeanor. Noticing that he was plump and fair, it was evident that he came from a well-off family. However, his simple blue clothing and cloth shoes could hardly be considered luxurious. He smiled and said, "How about this? Another day, I will treat you to char siu, meat buns, and sesame pancakes."

However, it seems that Li Shizhen was a doctor from a poor family, so how could he have such a large-scale medical establishment? From the titles of "Master" and "Miss," it appears that he held a significant social status.

The one who laughed was Qing Dai. After a moment, Lu Yuanzhi and his fellow disciples suddenly realized, exchanging knowing glances and joining in the laughter, leaving Qin Lin completely puzzled, unaware of the reason for their amusement

I am not dead

It is merely a conversation among family; how can it be addressed to the patient? Wouldn't that come off as self-congratulatory and ingratiating? Qing Dai, being innocent and naive, lacks worldly experience, while Li Shizhen feels quite embarrassed, his old face slightly flushed, as he bows slightly to Qin Lin

A bite from a Qishi snake must be treated effectively within two hours; otherwise, the poison becomes untreatable. Patients are often bitten in remote mountains and wilderness, and by the time they are transported to the Li Medical Hall in Qizhou, precious time has already been lost. Many times, they succumb along the way, and even the renowned physician Li Shizhen cannot compete with the King of Hell for lives.

Li Shizhen glanced at the guide briefly before setting it aside, focusing instead on the letter in his hand. As he read, his hands began to tremble slightly, and tears rolled down his cheeks.

If it is said that Li Shizhen's positions at the Chu Wangfu and the Tai Hospital still belong to minor official roles, then his eldest son, Li Jianzhong, served as the magistrate of Pengxi County in Sichuan after being selected as a juren in the 32nd year of the Jiajing era. His second son, Li Jianyuan, and his fourth son, Li Jianmu, also respectively passed the xiucai examination. The Li family can thus be considered a family of officials, having entered the ranks of Confucian scholars

Qin Lin secretly chuckled upon hearing this; it seemed that this little chubby one was indeed a glutton. Moreover, his straightforward personality was genuine and sincere. Over the past three days, he had been grateful for his care and found him worthy of friendship

Qin Lin still thought he was a disciple of the divine physician Li. It was then that Lu Yuanzhi continued, "... the disciple Dr. Pang Xian learned medicine from him. As for my esteemed master, you are from Hanyang County, and even he does not know you; you are indeed quite ignorant. Previously, my master served as the 'Chief of the Worship Hall' at the Chu Wang Mansion in Wuchang, and Wuchang is just separated from your Hanyang County by a long river..." Previously, my master served as the 'Chief of the Worship Hall' at the Chu Wang Mansion in Wuchang, and Wuchang is just separated from your Hanyang County by a long river..."

Little Fatty proudly said: "My name is Lu Yuanzhi, I live in the southern market of Qizhou, and I am currently following Doctor Li..."

In the end, upon hearing the chubby boy say that Bai's sesame pancakes are a specialty of Qizhou, Qin Lin couldn't help but be taken aback: "Are you saying this place is Qizhou?"

He struggled to rise, kneeling on the bed to express his gratitude to Li Shizhen: "The divine physician's life-saving grace, I shall never forget it for the rest of my life..."

Nonsense! Li smiled as he sent his granddaughter back. In a typical scholarly family, it would be completely unacceptable for a young lady to meet a strange young man. The Li family, being doctors, did not adhere to the same strict standards as aristocratic families. Since this was within their own medical clinic, he allowed his curious granddaughter to accompany him. However, it was indeed inappropriate for her to inquire about the name of a young man.

Li Shizhen, with a look of astonishment, repeatedly scrutinized Qin Lin and asked in a deep voice: "Forgive me for being presumptuous, young man, do you have any identification?"

This statement, while certainly exaggerated, reflects the reality that villagers lack knowledge on how to treat snake bites. In the absence of proper wound cleaning and without applying a tourniquet, they often panic and run, causing the snake venom to quickly travel through the bloodstream, spreading throughout the body and leading to rapid poisoning and death. Even if they are fortunate enough to survive, they may still suffer from significant aftereffects

Qin Lin had been awake for half an hour, and the feeling of soreness and weakness began to fade. Upon hearing this, he simply got out of bed, reached into his bundle, and took out the travel permit and letter, respectfully handing them to Li Shizhen

As Li Shizhen, he would certainly not allow his servants or students to rummage through Qin Lin's belongings. Not having seen that travel permit, he naturally did not know his name. At this moment, when his granddaughter mentioned him, she naturally asked: "Then, may I inquire about the young gentleman's name?"

"My family's master is named Shang Xiajun, Li Shizhen!" Lu Yuanzhi exclaimed, slapping his forehead, and hurriedly walked outside: "Hey, you're better now. I'll inform the master, I just remembered after talking for so long."

Qin Lin quickly said: "Doctor Li is too modest; what Miss Qingdai said is the truth. If it weren't for your rescue, I would have likely become a lonely soul wandering in the desolate mountains long ago"

Qin Lin chuckled self-deprecatingly, reminding himself that he was in the Ming Dynasty during the Wanli era, where the moral code placed great emphasis on the separation of the sexes. Aside from women from impoverished families who had to work outside, most women who could make ends meet were reluctant to show their faces in public. In fact, many couples had not even met before their marriage. The clichéd trope of a beautiful woman saving a distressed young man and then offering herself to him could probably only be found in novels

With a smile, Qin Lin nodded at the chubby man and asked, "Where is this? How long have I been asleep? This brother has been taking care of me these past few days, thank you very much!"

Hearing the young lady ask a young man for his name, the chubby Lu Yuanzhi and several senior brothers crowded at the door couldn't help but laugh. This junior sister is innocent and carefree, and since the grandmaster has always indulged her, she is completely unaware of the impropriety of such a question

Qin Lin sighed softly, realizing that he had yet to receive the blessing of the protagonist's halo; during these few days of deep slumber in bed, it was this little chubby one who had been taking care of him

Li Shizhen wiped away his old tears and tightly grasped Qin Lin's arm: "Did your ancestor not explain things clearly to you before passing away? I am named Shizhen, courtesy name Dongbi, and I was a close friend of your ancestor!"

Just as I was saying this, I heard a sound of laughter, "chih," and an exclamation of surprise, "yi."

At that time, Qin Lin was not particularly concerned about the divine physician, as he had no intention of residing in Qizhou for long. Unexpectedly, after being bitten by a venomous snake, he was saved by this divine physician, which was indeed a stroke of luck

After trying, I found that my body was somewhat sore and weak after just a few days of bed rest. As for the symptoms of dizziness, blurred vision, severe heartbeat, and bleeding from the wound, they had completely disappeared. Qin Lin couldn't help but secretly admire the skills of Doctor Li.

Qin Lin did not know what to say; he had finally managed to escape the city, and now he was being carried back... However, now that he had the travel permit, he could settle anywhere in the vast territory of the Ming Dynasty, under heaven.

Li Qingdai let out a light hum, glanced at Qin Lin with a pout, and then retreated behind her grandfather, choosing not to speak any further

Qin Lin, who had been in a coma for many days, suddenly opened his eyes, leaving the chubby boy momentarily stunned

Qin Lin was completely baffled and had no idea what was going on

Alas... if that young lady in indigo were to come...

After Qin Lin awoke, he discovered that he was lying on a bed covered with finely woven grass mats, topped with a light and comfortable cotton quilt. Although the room he was in lacked the ornate decorations of carved beams and painted rafters, the open window allowed warm, bright sunlight to stream in, accompanied by the fragrant aroma of herbs.

As Qin Lin expected, the chubby child was born with a greedy appetite, which is why he appears so plump. However, his family background can only be described as moderately well-off, and he cannot often indulge in snacks. Therefore, when he heard Qin Lin mention treating him to char siu and meat buns, he immediately beamed with joy, cheerfully counting them off on his fingers as if recounting treasured possessions

In modern medicine, the treatment of venomous snake bites, in addition to initial procedures such as debridement and removal of residual toxins, primarily relies on antivenom. However, the renowned physician Li from the Ming Dynasty certainly did not have access to such remedies, so his treatment methods must have possessed unique characteristics.

According to the usual protagonist halo possessed by time travelers, this is most likely Qingdai's boudoir. Therefore, the next plot that comes from the *illustrated* book should be about a beautiful woman saving a hero, followed by her crying and insisting on offering herself in return

Old friend, old friend, I never expected you to leave before me, take your time on the road to the underworld..." Li Shizhen choked for a moment, then suddenly his expression became solemn, and he said to Qin Lin: "Nephew, do not worry, just stay here with me!"

Qin Lin watched Lu Yuanzhi leave, stunned for a while, never expecting that this divine doctor was actually the renowned Ming Dynasty medical sage, Li Shizhen, the author of "Compendium of Materia Medica"! No wonder he could treat a Qishi snake bite without using antivenom; for this medical sage, it was simply a piece of cake. The characteristics and functions of the Qishi snake are clearly and thoroughly documented in the "Compendium of Materia Medica".

Looking again at the corner, the bundle containing the travel permit and other items is carelessly tossed aside, with the loosely tied opening revealing the foul-smelling burlap clothing inside, presenting a look of disdain and disgust. This is likely the reason it has been neglected and discarded in the corner.

Qin Lin is extremely grateful to his savior. In the modern society before his time travel, the judgment of the case involving Old Lady Xu by the Nanjili Inspectorate had long lost the people's trust. How many would dare to help someone lying on the ground, fearing trouble for themselves? If someone were bitten by a snake and fell to the ground in the era of Old Lady Xu in Nanjili, they would probably have to wait for death, as they would certainly not receive help from the renowned Li Shizhen.

Lu Yuanzhi spoke for a long time in a roundabout way without mentioning who the divine physician's master was. Qin Lin could not help but remind him: "Who exactly is the master?"

In fact, Li Shizhen was not as impoverished as later generations have imagined. His father was indeed a poor physician, but Li Shizhen himself held the position of an eighth-rank official, "Fengci Zheng," at the Wuchang Chuwang Mansion in his early years. He later served in the Imperial Medical Institute in the capital and, upon returning to his hometown in Qizhou, frequently treated the noble patients of the Jing Wang Mansion, earning a considerable income from his consultations. Otherwise, how could he have had the extra funds to provide medicine for the poor?

The Qishe, known as the "Hundred Steps Down," is said to possess an exceptionally potent venom. A person bitten by it is often doomed to die within the time it takes to walk a hundred steps. It is also referred to as the "Five Steps Snake," indicating that after being bitten, the pain is unbearable, and one can typically only walk five steps before collapsing.

Look, look at this medical ethics and professionalism! Qin Lin is utterly in awe.

This brother, I am from Hanyang County, Qin Lin Qin Mujin. I have yet to inquire about your name. Furthermore, is this medical clinic entirely under the care of Divine Doctor Li? He has saved my life, so how should I address my benefactor?